Incumbents, Francois take lead in at-large council race fundraising

In the Metro Council’s at-large races, all five incumbent members accumulated impressive fundraising totals over the past financial disclosure period, with At-large Councilwoman Megan Barry leading in cash-on-hand totals.

Barry, who chairs the council’s Budget and Finance Committee, has $59,426 on hand after netting $33,291 over the last quarter. She spent $36,543 last quarter.

All candidates running for Metro offices this August were required to report their fundraising totals on Monday to the Davidson County Election Commission. Dollars reported were collected between April and June 30.

Councilman Ronnie Steine raised the most funds among at-large candidates prior to the June 30 cut-off date, collecting $39,986. Steine has $38,657 on hand. He spent $40,803 last quarter.

Meanwhile, At-large Councilman Jerry Maynard — who did not drop off a financial disclosure to the commission — told The City Paper he raised $64,691 last period and has $38,479 currently on hand.

However, Maynard said he opted to count dollars that were collected after June 30, presumably to highlight funds collected at a July 8 fundraising event Mayor Karl Dean hosted.

The other two at-large incumbents — Tim Garrett and Charlie Tygard — also showed solid numbers. Garrett raised $31,249 over the past quarter, putting him with $25,011 on hand.

Rounding out the pack, Tygard has more than $29,000 on hand.

Since June 30, Barry and Steine have already unveiled television commercials, as has attorney Renard Francois.

Francois did not file his financial disclosure to the election commission before it closed on Monday but said his treasurer had postmarked and mailed Monday. He said he raised more than $33,000 last quarter and has an estimated $34,000 on hand.

5 Comments on this post:

By:govskeptic on 7/12/11 at 6:18

Of course, Megan Barry is doing very well in fund raising, being chairman of Budget
and Fiance Committee always assures that fact! Others change the reporting dates
around to make things look better or skip the process all together. The Mayor with
no real competition is collecting enough to spread the wealth with any "friends"
running that may not be raising enough to be competitive. Other than two or
three races I'm afraid we don't have much excitement to look forward to this year.

By:budlight on 7/12/11 at 6:31

Karl is expected to purchase another election for himself and probably others.

By:lusksavage on 7/12/11 at 11:16

Einstein 62
If these people spent 1/10th the energy fixing the deficits and economy as they do raising money for their "campaigns" we would still be the shining jewel of hope in the world!

By:Nitzche on 7/12/11 at 1:22

jerry maynard should spend some of that money getting his license back?

By:titansjoe on 7/13/11 at 11:09

It is law that all candidates turn in their campaign disclosure forms on time. So how many of them broke the law by not turning in their report? Also it will be very interesting to find out who is making donations to who and why. The weakest incumbent at large candidate is Jerry Maynard and that is whom Karl Dean just helped raise a ton of campaigin cash. Maynard has been in Deans corner all the way.

I have a feeling karl and his machine are helping out just enough council members to be sure there are 27 votes to demolish the fairgrounds after voters vote it down. After all our current council could have drafted a bill to kill Karls idea of tearing down the fairgrounds but instead they drafted a bill to put it off until after the election.

Thank goodness fairground supporters hustled to get a referendum on the ballot or we could have kissed the fairgrounds goodbye after the two year repreive which the council voted for. They think we are too stupid to know it was a ploy to get by the election and still be able to tear the fairgrounds down. They really think we are idiots. Are we?

I said it then and I say it now, I will vote against any council member that would support and vote for the convention center and the demolition of the fairground property. That would include each and every incumbent council at large candidate. Stiene-No! Tygard-No! Barry-No! Maynard-No!Tim Garrett-No! And I would vote for Deans dog before I would vote for him.